Sunday, November 4, 2012
Fotos with Faith
Heirs to the Kingdom
Lately I've had more free time than is typical for me, so naturally I've filled it with things I love - namely photography and cooking.
In photography: There's this bridge near my mom's house in Austin, called the 360 bridge, to the outsider there is nothing special about it, it's just a bridge. For me though it holds special memories, one thing Austinites know is that it is a marvelous place to catch the sunrise and sunset, and you can see the city skyline from afar. For a while I had this idea of trying to capture the bridge lit up only by car lights and this is my attempt at it.
This is the city skyline, I would zoom it in more, but on the hill where it was taken it was very windy that evening and it's a tad bit blurry.
As for cooking there has been loads of deliciousness going on here. On last Sunday I made potato soup from scratch (unfortunately didn't take any pictures, and I already froze the leftovers) and Italian cheese bread. Friday I made chicken and vegetable soup and French bread.
Apparently I'm in a major soup and bread kind of mood - comfort food? And today I plan to make my famously delicious apple pie!
In photography: There's this bridge near my mom's house in Austin, called the 360 bridge, to the outsider there is nothing special about it, it's just a bridge. For me though it holds special memories, one thing Austinites know is that it is a marvelous place to catch the sunrise and sunset, and you can see the city skyline from afar. For a while I had this idea of trying to capture the bridge lit up only by car lights and this is my attempt at it.
This is the city skyline, I would zoom it in more, but on the hill where it was taken it was very windy that evening and it's a tad bit blurry.
As for cooking there has been loads of deliciousness going on here. On last Sunday I made potato soup from scratch (unfortunately didn't take any pictures, and I already froze the leftovers) and Italian cheese bread. Friday I made chicken and vegetable soup and French bread.
Apparently I'm in a major soup and bread kind of mood - comfort food? And today I plan to make my famously delicious apple pie!
Heart/Scripture:
God has weighed several scriptures on my heart recently all similar in how they effect me.
"For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." -Romans 8:15-17
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will." -Ephesians 1:3-5
"Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba. Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir." -Galatians 4:6-7
I'm sure you will notice as I have that there is a common theme in these scriptures. That we are adopted into the family of God - to be called sons and daughters, to be heirs in the kingdom of Heaven, that we are to cry out to GOD as "Abba, Father." To some, the profoundness of this may be lost, but it has truly struck at my innermost being that The God who created the universe not only loves me and wants to save me, but He wants me to be His child. I who have sinned against Him, I who have turned my back on Him - He wants me. We as Christians could not ask for something better than this for God has not only given us salvation, but He is giving us His kingdom. Sometimes we jest that we just hope God will let us in, but He's not just going to "let us in" He's giving it to us as heirs. That is most remarkable to me.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Sovereign God
This past weekend my church had its annual family camp. A weekend of fellowship, gospel, and fun. It did a lot to help me remember the sovereignty of God from the littlest of things, like the morning dew on a blade of grass,
to the biggest of things like Jesus' death on the cross and reminding us daily of that importance.
It also helped to remind me that though these photos and the things in them are beautiful, God is infinitely more beautiful. How I cannot wait to see His beauty in all it's splendor.
"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness." 2 Peter 1:3
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Psalm 139
O Lord, you have searched me and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar...
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O Lord.
You hem me in - behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me...
Where can I go from your spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, "Surely the darkness wil hide me
and the light become night around me,"
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you...
I praise you because I am fearfully
and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well...
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be...
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 139 is so encouraging, so rich. To write these words on my heart and make them a part of my life song could only bring joy. To remember what wonderful blessings are given to us. God - the creator of the universe, the almighty and sovereign Lord of all things - knows me a small, sinning human, one of billions. He knows me, and loves me, I cannot hide from His presence. That is remarkable. He is always with me.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Sharing Time
So, I've never been particularly good at sharing. Well, that's not true, I am very good at sharing things that are easy to share, but when it comes to the deeper things I'd rather just leave them be. After reading my good friend's blog where she catalogs her life and is incredibly translucent about her medical conditions I have decided to share what has been going on in my life recently.
Recently might not be the best term either considering I've had this on and off since I was 17 but it's currently "on" so it is current in that sense. Since February I have been having chest pain, it's a fairly normal occurrence for me so I've never been particularly concerned, but I decided to try seeing a doctor again since I gave up on them previously (2006 and 2008). These 'episodes' as I like to call them vary in length and can be anywhere from 30 seconds to 90 minutes. The pain is fairly intense and has on occasion left me feeling rather crippled. In my previous times seeing doctors they have run batteries of tests with no solid results. I to this day have no solid explanation for what happens to me. The main problem being that none of them have been able to induce or record an episode - which means they have no idea what's happening when I'm actually having one, all they can see is how my body is acting normally.
The latest doctor did an EKG, chest ex-ray, chest echo, and finally (last Tuesday) a stress test. Still nothing. In the midst of the disappointment of having no results I am at least happy that they are so far unable to detect any serious defects with my heart or lungs. I've heard many opinions: angina, anxiety, arrhythmia, pleurisy, etc. And I'm just about to my giving up on the doctors point once again. Unfortunately they seem to have been increasing in intensity, frequency, and length so I'm not sure if giving up and living with it is currently a proper option.
That's the gist of it.
With that being said I know that God is faithful, and that He works all things for the good of those who love Him, I know that I can trust Him above all things, and I know that whatever happens is for the good of His kingdom. I serve the great, mighty, all-powerful God and He loves little old me, faults and all. That is what is truly amazing.
My favorite verse at the moment, which I have nearly memorized just from my shear desire to share it with the world is:
"I am God, and there is no other; I am God and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.'" Isaiah 46:9-10
How can anyone question the sovereignty of God after reading those words? I most certainly cannot.
Recently might not be the best term either considering I've had this on and off since I was 17 but it's currently "on" so it is current in that sense. Since February I have been having chest pain, it's a fairly normal occurrence for me so I've never been particularly concerned, but I decided to try seeing a doctor again since I gave up on them previously (2006 and 2008). These 'episodes' as I like to call them vary in length and can be anywhere from 30 seconds to 90 minutes. The pain is fairly intense and has on occasion left me feeling rather crippled. In my previous times seeing doctors they have run batteries of tests with no solid results. I to this day have no solid explanation for what happens to me. The main problem being that none of them have been able to induce or record an episode - which means they have no idea what's happening when I'm actually having one, all they can see is how my body is acting normally.
The latest doctor did an EKG, chest ex-ray, chest echo, and finally (last Tuesday) a stress test. Still nothing. In the midst of the disappointment of having no results I am at least happy that they are so far unable to detect any serious defects with my heart or lungs. I've heard many opinions: angina, anxiety, arrhythmia, pleurisy, etc. And I'm just about to my giving up on the doctors point once again. Unfortunately they seem to have been increasing in intensity, frequency, and length so I'm not sure if giving up and living with it is currently a proper option.
That's the gist of it.
With that being said I know that God is faithful, and that He works all things for the good of those who love Him, I know that I can trust Him above all things, and I know that whatever happens is for the good of His kingdom. I serve the great, mighty, all-powerful God and He loves little old me, faults and all. That is what is truly amazing.
My favorite verse at the moment, which I have nearly memorized just from my shear desire to share it with the world is:
"I am God, and there is no other; I am God and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.'" Isaiah 46:9-10
How can anyone question the sovereignty of God after reading those words? I most certainly cannot.
The adorable twins I nanny for turned 1 last Thursday! Oh, and I learned the greatest lesson in child photography - JUST KEEP CLICKING!
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
How Long?
As Christians I feel like we are frequently asking the question how long. How long must wait? How long must I pray? How long must I endure this hardship or suffering? In all honesty, I know that I feel more secure when I know how long something will last. The pounding pain of a headache it tolerable if I know it will only last 30 minutes until my tylenol kicks in. But that's not the way God works; that's not the way the world works. In reality we are always left wondering why or how long - but it is this wondering that strengthens our faith in God. If we already knew when everything was going to happen how could we have faith and depend fully on God to see us through?
Have you ever noticed that God has a funny was of bringing everything together at once? Just after starting the first paragraph of this blog post I began to read Elisabeth Elliot's "The Mark of a Man." which states (on the second page of the introduction): "Faith has to be exercised in the midst of ordinary, down-to-earth living. Ordinary living includes trouble. When things are going as we would like, faith doesn't often seem necessary. It's when things get messed up that we look around for answers or for help."
Perhaps if we, as people, focused less on the time and more on the what we wouldn't worry as much about that which we cannot control. By focusing on the "what" I simply mean to pay more attention to what is happening to us - yes I am enduring this hardship, but look at the wonderful things God is doing in my life through it. Or if you are still too deep in to see the silver lining, then at least remember that God said He works all things for the good of those who love Him. So if you love God, He is working everything out for your good - not your happiness, but your good, and trust me in the long run is much better since happiness is a mere fleeting feeling that changes with the wind.
Have you ever noticed that God has a funny was of bringing everything together at once? Just after starting the first paragraph of this blog post I began to read Elisabeth Elliot's "The Mark of a Man." which states (on the second page of the introduction): "Faith has to be exercised in the midst of ordinary, down-to-earth living. Ordinary living includes trouble. When things are going as we would like, faith doesn't often seem necessary. It's when things get messed up that we look around for answers or for help."
Perhaps if we, as people, focused less on the time and more on the what we wouldn't worry as much about that which we cannot control. By focusing on the "what" I simply mean to pay more attention to what is happening to us - yes I am enduring this hardship, but look at the wonderful things God is doing in my life through it. Or if you are still too deep in to see the silver lining, then at least remember that God said He works all things for the good of those who love Him. So if you love God, He is working everything out for your good - not your happiness, but your good, and trust me in the long run is much better since happiness is a mere fleeting feeling that changes with the wind.
Better late then never - 4th of July fireworks:
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